A SCHOOL FOR IQBAL

August, 2005 Campaign UPDATE

Prince Cedza Dlamini, grandson of Nelson Mandela, meets with
students in Quincy to exchange ideas for ending poverty, disease
and infant mortality around the world. (GARY HIGGINS/The Patriot
Ledger)

ALL IN A DAY'S WORK: Mandela's grandson praises students for caring

By JAMES FURBUSH
The Patriot Ledger

QUINCY - Local students involved in a world service program that builds
schools in poor countries were rewarded with a visit and words of encouragement
yesterday
from Prince Cedza Dlamini, the grandson of Nelson Mandela and a member of the
royal family of Swaziland.

Dressed in traditional Swahili attire, Dlamini was in Quincy to talk to
students from Broad Meadows Middle School, North Quincy High School,
Quincy High School
and Archbishop Williams High School in Braintree who are involved in Operation
Day's Work. The national student-run program includes 23 schools, four of
them on the South Shore, that raise money each year to build a school
in a developing
country.

This year, students raised money for a new school in Vietnam. Broad Meadows
Middle School was one of the eight schools that began the program in 1997.

Dlamini, a student at Tufts University in Medford, congratulated students
and their teachers yesterday at Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy.

‘‘
One does not have to be born into a certain family to be a leader,'' he said. ‘‘What
matters is what you do with what you have. Whether you're a prince
or pauper, you can make a difference.''

Dlamini is promoting the Millennium Development Goals, established
in 2000 by the United Nations. The goals are to eradicate poverty,
disease
and
infant mortality
by 2015, and to raise literacy rates, gender equality, maternal health
and environmental sustainability in developing nations.

Dlamini said education is the key to achieving the goals, but that
not enough young people are aware of worldwide problems. But that
isn't the
case among
local students involved in Operation Day's Work.

‘‘ It takes a little bit of time and a big heart to make a difference,''
Kristen Bloomer, a Broad Meadows eighth-grader, said.

‘‘
Rita Wang, a recent graduate of North Quincy High School, said, ‘‘If
we all do a little, it will add up to a lot.''

The students made Dlamini an honorable member of their service
organization. Dlamini said he was grateful for the honor
and very humbled.

Ron Adams, a seventh-grade language arts teacher at Broad
Meadows and the faculty supervisor of the program, described
the afternoon
ceremony
as ‘‘simply
an A-plus.''

James Furbush may be reached at jfurbush@ledger.com.
Copyright 2005 The Patriot Ledge

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